The entry price threshold in EU agriculture: Deterrent or barrier?

The paper investigates the effects of the entry price scheme (EPS) for a specific sector of agriculture: fresh fruit and vegetables. The analysis is conducted on the EU prices of tomatoes, lemons and apples for some of the main competing countries on the EU domestic markets: Morocco, Argentina, Turkey and China. The econometric analysis is based on testing and estimating a switching vector autoregressive model with endogenous threshold entry price level. The model shows the isolation effects and the accumulation of Standard Import Values (SIVs) above the trigger entry price. This paper contributes to clarify the role played by the EPS in avoiding or deterring low priced imports from main EU partner countries.